The Darkness
by KrazyKimmy
Summary: Sarah Jane Smith awakens in a hospital bed, and doesn't remember why she's there, or who she is. Luke and the trio worry about her, then the Doctor turns up; fourth regeneration. Can he unlock the Mystery of the Darkness and the Colours?
1. Chapters One to Five

**The Darkness – SJAFF**

**Chapters 1-5**

**Chapter 1**

It's scary sometimes, how scared you can be.

One minute I'm fine, next I'm scared out of my wits for who knows what reason. All I know is that something wasn't right.

Something.

I wish I knew what it was. Maybe it was something in the air. It was a cold night, as I remember. Cold and frosty, the kind where you can see your own breath.

I'm still scared, but for a completely different reason. Because now, I can't see. I mean, I can. But nothing makes sense. Sometimes it's all dark, all black. And I can't see anything or feel anything. I can't move, all I see is the Darkness, the constant pitch black, with no-one and nothing. Just black. Either that, or it's all psychedelic dancing colours. That can't be right. Like the Darkness, but, colours. Pinks, greens, light blue, yellow. Dancing, shining, shimmering, waving. But I can't do anything. Can't move, speak... I don't even know if I'm breathing. I hope I am. I can't even see me. I'm not aware of my body, can't see my fringe in the top of my eyesight, nor the rustle of my hair as I turn to look around. If I'm succeeding in looking around.

This is scary. Scary in a way I never knew existed. I just want it to end. Just as I get accustomed to the Dark, or to dancing colours, it changes. And it hurts my eyes so...

This just isn't fair.

**Chapter 2**

"I'm afraid it is serious. She'll have to stay while we run further tests. And obviously till she wakes up. I'm sorry, is she a good friend of yours?" The nurse asked.

"She's my mum." The young teenage boy replied.

"Don't worry Luke, It'll be OK." The Indian girl told him as she led him back into the ward.

"She'll be fine. Sarah Jane's a tough old bird, she won't let some disease get the better of her. At least not without doing considerable damage to the disease first." The black boy added.

"Thanks Clyde." The first boy added.

They all started laughing, but it was quieter and softer than the nurse was used to hearing from teenagers. Maybe they were just worried, she thought.

"I'll be just in my office over there, in case she wakes up or if you need me, OK?" She asked, before walking off.

Poor kid, he wasn't going to have a good couple of weeks. The woman, Sarah Jane was out cold.

**Chapter 3**

Colours; flying, soaring, zooming, flashing past.

Darkness; cold, harsh, terrifying, petrifying.

Colours. Blurring past her so quickly she didn't recognise what they were.

Darkness. Blinding her after the brightness of the colours.

Colour.

Darkness.

Colour. Darkness. Colour, Darkness, Colour, Darkness, Colour Darkness Colour Darkness Colour Darkness,

Aaaarggghhh!

Why won't they stop! They hurt so much! My eyes, my poor, poor eyes.

I just want to wake up.

* * *

A few days had passed since Sarah Jane had been found unconscious on the pavement, Luke, Rani and Clyde had all been given time off school, and Luke was staying at Clyde's house until Sarah Jane woke up.

The worst of it was, no one knew why Sarah Jane was even the part London she was found in. What possible reason could she have for visiting Southall? Luke certainly didn't know anyone that lived there.

"Luke?" Clyde came up to him and offered him a cup of coffee in a polystyrene cup.

"Thanks. Do have the time?" Luke asked, taking the coffee.

"Quarter to six." Clyde replied, taking a sip out of his own drink.

"You know, I do think she looks a bit different today." Clyde commented looking at Sarah Jane.

Luke scanned her face for any signs of activity.

"How?"

"Well, look here, she looks less peaky. She's got more colour in her face."

Luke saw what he meant. She did have more colour in her cheeks.

**Chapter 4**

Torture. That's what this is. Never ending torture. Colours, Darkness, Colours, Darkness.

Constantly swapping, switching changing.

I wish it would end, my poor head... Not that I can remember where that is. It's terrible. I know things, but I've feel like I've forgotten. It was something important, friend or family, but I... I can't, I can't. Oh, the darn colours!

What was I saying?

I'm always forgetting something. Whether its what I was just thinking, or what I was trying to do.

The colours just switched again.

It's dark now. I'm not scared of the dark, but. I don't like this. Because the colours constantly move, your eyes get used to the movement, and you think you see things moving in the dark. I really don't like this.

Did something just move? Over there, in the dark. What am I on about? It's all dark!

Honestly, look at me now, arguing with myself! What else am I meant to do though?

There I go again...

I'm beginning to forget what happened before. Or was it always colours and Darkness?

This one is staying for a long time. The Darkness that is. OK, I defiantly saw something move that time. What am I on about, seeing something black move against a black back-shot!

Idiot, Idiot, Idiot Sarah - ... Um, Sarah ... Sarah , uuuhhh, Sarah... Um...

Oh god! I've forgotten my own name!

**Chapter 5**

"Clyde look!" Luke whispered.

Clyde woke up from his slight snooze, "Huh?"

Luke pointed.

Sarah Jane's breathing rate had increased, and that contented, dreamy look that had scared the trio so much was gone. Instead, Sarah looked pained, beneath the creased eyebrows, you could see her eyes moving behind her eyelids. The brain activity monitor was as constant as ever.

"I'll go get a nurse or Doctor." Clyde told his friend.

Luke picked up Sarah Jane's hand, "Mum?" he asked, hope in his voice for the first time in weeks.

Just as Clyde was walking out, the nurse was walking in.

"Oh, are you going Mr. Langer? Visiting time is nearly over" She told him sternly.

"No, um. I was just coming to get you. It's Sarah Jane, she's um, her, uh..." Clyde gave up and pointed over to her.

The nurse looking rather intrigued walked over to her, and took the clipboard from the end of her bed. Then she went to stand next to Sarah Jane, feeling her forehead and looking at the monitors, checking stats against the clipboard every so often.

"I'm going to get a doctor. Won't be a mo."

Clyde took a seat, and took Sarah's other hand. "Come on, Sarah."

Luke looked over to Clyde, who looked up at him, they each gave each other small smiles. Trying to keep the world going without Sarah Jane had been a challenge, but one they had been coping with. Just.

"I'd better just go tell Rani about the change." Clyde said, not wanting to ignore Rani's threats that she'd personally kill Luke and him if they dare to let Sarah Jane wake up without her.

The doctor came in, about five minutes later. The change in Sarah's complexion was much more noticeable now. She looked flushed now, not peaky.

The doctor felt her forehead, checked her pulse, and shone a light in her eyes.

"She's definitely changed in her condition, she is much more likely to wake up in the next few days." The doctor confirmed.

Luke looked down into his hands, 'next few days...' He needed his mum **now** though...

It might just have been his imagination, but he was sure that he just felt Sarah's hand move.

"Hmm?" He grunted, looking up at Sarah. "Mum?"

"Pardon?" The doctor asked, checking Sarah Jane's stats against the monitors. "Did you say something?"

"I thought I just, no, sorry. My imagination." Luke apologised.

"Go on," The doctor was looking at him now.

"I thought I felt Mum move her hand, but, she probably didn't, just, over-active imagination."

The Doctor looked at the nurse who shrugged. He went over to Sarah Jane, who was oblivious as he leaned over her. He took one of her hands and squeezed it. "Sarah Jane Smith? Can you hear me? Squeeze my hand if you can."

Both males waited expectantly. The doctor thought he felt a small brush against his skin from Sarah's thumb.

"I need another doctor to confirm, be right back."

Clyde came in, and saw the Doctor go striding down the hallway.

"Everything OK?" He asked Luke.

Luke smiled, properly, warmly. "She's waking up!"


	2. Chapters Six to Ten

**The Darkness – SJAFF**

**Chapters 6-10**

**Chapter 6**

There was definitely something there. She didn't know what it was though.

They were all around her. Definitely more than one. Mocking her. Scaring her.

And it was working. She was more scared than she had ever been in her life. She flinched every time she was something move, heard a sound.

It was a most strange sound, though, she couldn't remember that many.

But the beeping. Mocking beeping. Coming from one side, then the other. Maybe two from one side, then a more urgent five or six from the other, then three or four from one, two or three on the other. Beep, beep beeeeep. Bep, Bep bepbepbep, Beeep, beeep...

Then stranger sounds, indecipherable noise. More throaty, more guttural. What kind of creature was lurking in the dark that could make those kinds of noises?

And what would it do to her?

That is, if she didn't die of fright first.

**Chapter 7**

Sarah Jane whined slightly.

Both doctors were standing at the end of her bed.

"Well," said the new doctor, "Even if she isn't capable of using her hands, that's proof she's waking up."

He then proceeded to walk out.

Sarah Jane breathed heavily and turned her head slightly.

Luke squeezed her hand, and got a small squeeze back.

"Clyde." Luke exclaimed in delight. "It's happening, she's waking up!"

Clyde started laughing in sheer and utter exuberance.

The nurse had to turn away to hide her amusement. The doctor was smiling too.

Sarah Jane now was not pale at all. In fact she was rather pink. The doctor noticed this, along with the pained expression and occasional whines. He mentioned this to the nurse who nodded, and pointed out the brain activity monitor.

The doctor was just about to say something to the boys when a young, teenage Indian girl came in, "I'm not too late am I?" she asked.

Luke and Clyde both shook their heads.

Noisily she pulled another chair to sit next to Clyde.

"Hi." She said to him when she noticed him staring at her.

Clyde smiled and shook his head, Luke was also smiling at her.

"What?" She asked, completely in the unknown.

"Umm... If I may?" The Doctor interjected.

The three teenagers turned to look at him, they were a bit intimidating actually. "Well, the thing is..."

Sarah Jane moaned again, this time managing to turn her head completely to the other side, so she was now facing Clyde, not Luke.

"The thing is that Sarah Jane may have developed a fever during her time out." The Doctor bit his lip, looking at the patient in question. She sighed and creased her eyebrows.

"If she wakes up today,"

Sarah moaned and turned her head back the other way.

"Then she won't be," The doctor didn't know how to put it to the young, eager teens.

"She won't be in top form." The nurse told them.

Luke looked to the Doctor for confirmation.

He nodded.

Clyde sighed, "We realised that when we heard she was unconscious!"

Sarah squeezed his hand. Tightly.

"Sarah?" He whispered, all sarcastic attitude lost.

The nurse went to stand by the window permanently.

**Chapter 8**

Sarah Jane's breathing rate increased again. Even though it already seemed like she had run a marathon, apparently it is possible to breath faster.

This was terrifying. Petrifying.

Constant darkness, surrounded by invisible enemy's.

She so badly wanted to escape.

* * *

Sarah Jane was now thrashing around in the hospital bed. She had two nurses (failing to) hold her down, and another was moping her sweaty face.

"Oh Clyde." Rani said, crying into his shoulder.

Clyde patted her shoulder, sniffling slightly himself.

Luke just stood there. Head tilted to the side, face a perfect depiction of worry.

* * *

No. No, no, no!

I won't let them get me!

I won't be taken by the darkness!

Whatever they were, they were very close. I just wish the colours would come back so I could see what they were.

I think I want to know what they are. It's better to see the enemy. I think.

* * *

The third doctor had now given up trying to keep Sarah Jane's body cool, and was now focusing on keeping her head straight so as not to allow her to give herself whiplash.

Another doctor had been sent for to get tranquillisers.

Sarah was moaning again, a high pitch whine. Almost like some-one was hurting her.

Rani was now sobbing into Clyde's chest. Clyde and Luke weren't that much better.

Luke moved to the end of her bed, and looked down at Sarah Jane.

The Doctor came in with the drugs, and struggled to prepare her for injection.

Like she knew Luke was there, watching, she stopped thrashing, and opened her brown eyes.

"No - wait!" One of the doctor's ordered the new comer, but it was too late.

She had been given the sedatives.

Sarah Jane's tortured brown eyes closed again.

Back into fear and pain. Goosebumps appeared all over her body.

**Chapter 9**

No one said anything. They just looked.

"What?" The doctor asked, removing the needle. "It worked didn't it?"

Another doctor rolled his eyes, and started walking out, the other nurses and doctors following suit.

"She should wake up in about an hour. Tell me when she does."

Luke nodded, moving to sit by his Mum.

* * *

This time it was colourless. But at the same time, had every colour imaginable present. But the good thing was Sarah Jane had found her body laying, floating on the ... ground?

Do I really look like that? Short, shoulder length red brown hair, and, my god, am I really that thin? Geez! Nice boots though...

Hold on, aren't I supposed to be, in the body? Oh hell!

Maybe if I, oh darn! I'm a ghost!

**Chapter 10**

Sarah Jane fumbled around her unconscious body, trying to figure out what to do. Then she gave up and lay on the floor. Rolling over, her body seemed to snap up her mind, and she awoke.

To see Darkness.

* * *

Sarah Jane screamed. Loudly.

Clyde and Luke turned to each other, they had just left Sarah's ward, hurriedly they turned back inside to turn on the lights and treat the hysterical Sarah Jane.

Doctors came running in, and the boys where shoved out the way.

"Sarah Jane? Sarah Jane can you here me?" One asked.

"She's hallucinating" Another concluded

"Can someone get me five CC's of -"

Clyde laughed dryly. "Nice of them to appreciate friend and family isn't it!"

Luke smiled, surely, any moment now, Sarah Jane would come to her senses and call for him and Clyde.

Any moment now.

After a while, the Doctors left, telling them to be quick, Sarah Jane needed her rest.

She looked exhausted, poor thing, even though she had been asleep for well over a week. And extremely pale. Fevered.

"Sarah Jane?" Luke asked quietly.

She looked at him, in such a way that he could tell simply keeping her eyelids open was a challenge.

He took her hand with one of his, and stroked her face with his other, "Sleep" he to told her.

Sarah Jane looked worried, what was it the Doctors had said about her hallucinating?

She took back her hand, and held it to her chest. She was worried, her breathing had increased rapidly. Her eyes were no longer tired and weary, she was full on petrified.

Sarah Jane looked from Luke, to Clyde, to Luke in sheer terror. What was going on inside her mind?

"Come on Luke, lets be going..." Clyde put a hand on Luke's shoulder, steering him out the ward.

"Rani won't believe this..." He whispered.


	3. Chapters Eleven to Fifteen

**The Darkness – SJAFF**

**Chapters 11-15**

**Chapter 11**

Sarah Jane's mind was in turmoil.

Strange men had been holding her, even stranger ones had been injecting her with some kind of substance, and all the time she had been so **tired**.

Then there was the young boy. He had taken her hand and stroked her face without so much as 'Hello'!

She was on her own now. Which was good.

Sarah Jane pulled out the wires that were feeding into her, her skin bled slightly but that didn't matter. She sat up and ran her hands through her hair and cried.

It was the strangest thing, but she felt like she was missing something.

Something that should be here. A hole in heart and soul.

The clock ticked in the ward. Tick, tick, tick, tick.

Sarah covered her ears.

Time was taunting her, mocking her. Each second that passed, and she hadn't realised what she'd lost. It was something special.

Sarah curled up on her side, and hugged her knees to her chest. To block out time she pulled the quilt over her head.

So what if it was dark, it could never be that Dark.

**Chapter 12**

Luke visited Sarah Jane alone the next day. Now that Sarah Jane was in the Land of the Living, Clyde and Rani had to go back to school.

"Mum?" He asked, when he saw her watching him.

Her forehead creased, she tried to say something but it was unintelligible.

Luke placed a hand on her face, "Mum. What happened?"

She turned her face away.

"Is everything alight?" A nurse asked.

Luke hadn't even heard her come into the room.

"What, why? Uhhh... What are the extent of her injuries?" Luke managed to ask.

"Oh, well, lets see shall we..." The nurse picked up the clipboard at the end of Sarah Jane's bed.

"She has... a sprained right wrist, a broken left leg, amnesia, and damaged vocal chords from a cut to the neck. Doesn't say how bad, so I'm guessing not too serious. Does that help?" She smiled.

"Amnesia. She's forgotten..." Luke repeated.

"Only temporarily, it will all come back soon." The nurse told him.

Luke looked up, "I know."

"Well, have a nice day!" And she walked out.

Sarah looked at Luke uneasily. They had put the tubes and wires back into her this morning. She wasn't too happy.

Luke put his head on the edge of the bed, "You've forgotten."

He heard the distant sound of engines, and got up. In the edge of the ward, the TARDIS appeared.

A man in a long scarf stepped out. He was all hair and teeth.

"Oh, this isn't what I expected." He muttered confused. Then he noticed the occupant of the bed. He gasped. "Sarah Jane! But... I only just dropped you off in Croydon."

Sarah Jane muttered something extremely close to sounding like 'Aberdeen'.

**Chapter 13**

The Doctor moved closer to Sarah Jane, "What year is it?" He asked her. "2010." Luke answered for Sarah.

The Doctor looked at him like he was only noticing him for the first time. "Hello. I'm the Doctor, and you are..."

"Luke Smith. Sarah Jane's adopted son." He replied, shaking the offered hand, slightly confused.

"Didn't know you were one for children Sarah." The Doctor smiled.

"Sarah Jane." Luke corrected. "She doesn't like being called Sarah."

"Oh." He replied, frowning. "She did when I knew her."

"So when did you regenerate again?" Luke asked, remembering the younger Doctor he knew.

"What do you mean? I've been this way for ages!"

"But, you were younger when I last saw you... Why didn't you remember me?"

The Doctor frowned. "I only just met you. I only just said goodbye to Sarah."

"Jane." Luke added.

Luke though about the situation. Maybe... time did work in funny ways...

"OK, so... you're here but your previous self was here a few weeks ago, and you're here because the TARDIS allows you to break all forms of rules of time humans are condemned to live by. That makes sense. Why didn't you prevent the accident though?" Luke wondered out loud.

"I didn't even know Sarah Jane was hurt!" The Doctor replied truthfully.

"Oh, I thought you would..." Luke thought. "Never mind."

**Chapter 14**

"So Sarah..." The Doctor asked once Luke had left, "What's the damage?"

Sarah turned her head to look at him. She opened the palm of her hand, to which the Doctor put his own.

Sarah let her mind flow through everything she remembered. Which was actually very little.

She could remember the Doctor and her talking in the TARDIS, her in an arrange of outfits and the Doctors comments on them, and what Luke had said about her injury's. But not how Luke was related to her.

Also she could remember the darkness.

And the colours.

At this, the Doctor hastily removed his hand from Sarah's, cutting off the telepathic link.

"Oh my poor Sarah Jane! What has the world done to you?" He asked, stroking her hair out of her face.

She looked at him, and in her eyes the Doctor could see pain, and fear, and the worry that comes with not knowing.

In the Doctors eyes, Sarah could see concern, and confusion, obviously he wasn't the know-it-all she thought he was.

"Hello Sarah Jane. I have your - Oh. Sir, I'm sorry. I don't think we've met..." A nurse walked in holding a tray of food and medicine.

"John Smith." The Doctor smiled.

"Oh, well Mr Smith, I'm afraid visiting hours are over." The smiled coldly back.

"I only just got here. No one told me my Sarah Jane was hurt." He asked.

"Sarah Jane has amnesia. She' couldn't remember you to tell us to call you." The nurse explained, putting the tray on Sarah's bed.

The Doctor turned to Sarah. "Do you remember me?"

Sarah nodded and squeezed his hand.

The Doctor turned to the nurse.

"Now I really must ask you to leave, sir."

The Doctor turned to go, and look back at Sarah Jane, who had a hand outstretched to him, then went through the door. The TARDIS disappeared after him.

Sarah Jane looked at the nurse, who was dissolving her tablets in a cup of water.

"Here, drink this." The nurse said, after propping Sarah Jane up on some pillows.

Sarah Jane turned her head away.

"It will take away the pain." The nurse practically sang.

Tears appeared in Sarah's eyes, but she still refused to drink it.

The nurse gave a huge sigh, and went outside the ward to find 'John Smith' standing right by the door.

The nurse didn't say anything, just beckoned for him to come in.

The Doctor gave Sarah Jane her medicine, and fed her when she became too shaky to hold the fork.

Nurse Hazel threw her hands in the air and went to find something strong to drink. Let the next nurse have more luck, she thought as she took off her badge, ending her shift.

**Chapter 15**

"Mr Smith," It was the doctor who had given Sarah Jane the sedatives. "If you like, and seeing that Sarah Jane is in a stable enough condition, we think it would be OK if you would like to take your wife home."

Sarah Jane smiled. Looking at the 'John', she could see him trying not to laugh.

"Um... Yes. OK." He looked to Sarah, "Would you like that, dear?"

Sarah Jane blushed, and squeezed his hand.

"Yes, if we could." 'John' replied, translating their silent communication.

The doctor nodded, "Well, then." He turned to leave, "Do you have transport home?"

Sarah Jane looked over to where the TARDIS was. The Doctor had put a cloaking device on it so only people who had been in it could see it.

'John' nodded. "Will we need to sign out or anything?"

The doctor bit his bottom lip, "Hold on a minute, I'll go check."

When he left the room, both Sarah and the Doctor burst into hysteric's.

"So, my lovely wife..." The Doctor laughed, "Ready to go home?"

Sarah smiled warmly and nodded.

The doctor came in again, just as 'Mr Smith' was leaning over to 'kiss' his wife.

"Uh hum!" He coughed.

'Mr Smith' hung his head. "Yes?"

"Um," The doctor stated nervously. "You don't have to sign out as you didn't sign in,"

Sarah Jane and her 'husband' both smiled at this.

"But I do have to record that Mrs Smith has gone home."

'John' nodded. "OK, can you do that?"

The doctor nodded.

"Yes, Mrs Smith, are you OK with going home? You can stay here if you wish."

Sarah Jane nodded, and sat herself up slowly to lean against the her 'husband'.

The doctor got the message. "OK, I'll just go put down you have gone home."

Sarah Jane looked up at her Doctor, and leant her head against his chest.

He gently picked her up, and they walked into the TARDIS. Within moments they had disappeared.

"Um..." The young doctor started, walking into the now empty room. He frowned, and looked down into the corridor. Where had they gone?


	4. Chapters Sixteen to Twenty

**The Darkness – SJAFF**

**Chapters 16-20**

**Chapter 16**

Back in Bannerman road, the Doctor carried Sarah into the living room, where they found K-9 dusting the table.

"Mistress Sarah Jane! You have returned!" He greeted her.

Sarah Jane looked down from the Doctor's arms with much confusion, what was a talking robot dog doing in her living room?

She looked up at the Doctor, who smiled and gently put her on the sofa.

"K-9," The Doctor started to explain, "Sarah Jane has amnesia. She doesn't remember any of this, barely even me!"

"Master Doctor! I was not expecting your presence in this regeneration." K-9 said.

"Heh. Well, I wasn't particularly expecting this either." The Doctor looked closer at the little robot dog. "Have you changed K-9?"

"Affirmative master! In future generation's you will create K-9 Mark 9!"

Sarah Jane watched the conversation with interest, and barely contained weariness.

The doctor noticed this, and carried the tired woman upstairs. Even against the weak protests of Sarah Jane.

"You know, I think if you tried, that might just about knock over a piece of paper." He told her, as she tried swatting him to put her down.

**Chapter 17**

Gently, like she was precious china, he put her down on the bed.

And much to Sarah's annoyance, he started rummaging around in her drawers, looking for her night clothes.

She threw the nearest thing she could reach at him.

But being the doctor, he knew what was coming.

Facing Sarah Jane, he walked forward, and picked up the the pair of socks that had fallen just by the end of the bed.

With an amused expression, he came and sat next to Sarah Jane, and tapped her on the nose with the socks. "Naughty."

She took hold of his hand and silently begged him to understand.

She showed him the memories she had of them together, the sweet moments, the scary moments, and a few hours ago in the hospital.

The Doctor laughed, but then became silent as he saw Sarah's serious expression.

She then showed him what was worrying her, in not so many words.

The Doctor saw in Sarah's head, the image of a young girl in her grandmother's clothing, and heard the twenty-something Sarah Jane practising the lines she had rehearsed, impersonating her grandmother. Then Sarah Jane showed him the image she had seen in the mirror not five minutes ago. A haggard, ill-looking woman in her sixties.

The Doctor realised what she was saying.

"Sarah..."

She was sitting on her bed, leaning on him with both hands on one of his, and her eyes portrayed such terror that the Doctor went cold.

"Sarah... I..." He shook his head, and kissed the soft, weak hands he was holding.

Looking into the shy eyes that were hiding behind the dark copper fringe, the Doctor could easily see the young Sarah Jane he once knew.

"You'll always be Sarah Jane to me." He told her telepathically. "Even if you end up looking like this." And he sent her an image of a horrible, grotesque, slimy green monster.

Sarah Jane laughed, but as her vocal chords had not yet healed, it came out garbled, and rather eerie.

The doctor smiled, seeing some familiar light in her eyes, and slowly lowered Sarah down till she was lying.

Leaning over her, he softly kissed her, and gently probed her mind to let her sleep.

He stayed there for a while, sitting there on the edge of the bed, watching her doze, until he decided that he could stay watching her for all eternity, or take a peek around the house, and maybe make some tea.

As tempting as the first option was, he opted for the latter.

**Chapter 18**

Well, technically it was called a latte, but the Doctor didn't get hung up on things like that.

According to K-9, a few generations in the future, the Doctor would save Sarah Jane from becoming married, would save her from his funeral, when he didn't actually die, and do other daring and amazing things.

At the moment, the Doctor was more worried about the lack of jelly beans in the house.

* * *

Sarah Jane woke up, and felt, for the first time in ages, at peace with herself. She couldn't really pin-point why, but felt... contented somewhat.

She took off the covers, and sat up, wincing slightly as her arm brushed her quilt.

Paying more attention to her injury, she realised her arm was in a splint. And that wasn't all, her leg and foot was in a cast, and her neck had a bandage round it. What on Earth had happened?

At least she was in her own bed...

She swung her legs out of bed, wincing slightly as she realised just how heavy casts were. She tried to stand up, but the pain was just too much for her fragile body. She fell, and luckily, missed the chest of drawers by about an inch.

* * *

Luke ran into his mothers room, having heard the noise, and found her lying on the floor.

He sat he up, and looked into her eyes.

She looked back, in pain and confused slightly.

He sighed, it still wasn't her. Still wasn't his mum.

"What happened?" He asked, wondering whether she could talk yet.

She exhaled noisily.

'I guess that's a no, then.' He thought.

"Here, let me help you back to bed." He offered, pulling her up, and letting her lean on him.

His stomach was doing back-flips at the sight of his mother, so helpless, so needy, and so not her! She didn't recognise him, and yet he recognised the Doctor..

* * *

The boy left the room. Was she still in hospital? Was he one of these 'work-experience' boys?

She could feel herself blushing crimson at the thought of him seeing her in her night clothes. How indecent.

Mind you, she thought, looking down at the pink and purple checked pyjamas, they weren't that bad.

There was a knock at the door, and Sarah could sense the Doctor in her mind.

'Decent?' He asked.

She nodded, then realised he couldn't see her. She looked in the mirror, opposite her bed, and sent back the image of her nodding.

He opened the door, and Sarah smiled as she saw the tray of food, tea, and jelly babies.

"I went shopping with Luke." He admitted.

The name confused her, but she was too hungry to ask.

As she tucked into her last piece of toast and jam, strawberry of course, she tried to send the Doctor a message.

He raised an eyebrow, "I'm receiving some static here." He claimed.

Sarah frowned, and tried again.

"Let me raise the aerial." The Doctor put his hands on Sarah's temples.

She raised an eyebrow and tried again.

"Oh." The Doctor pulled back from Sarah, and ate another jelly baby, considering the question. "Well, I'm not too sure but I think it's because I ... err... that's a good question you know. Maybe because I really didn't want to see you if you weren't ready to see me, I could just... send it. I really don't know how you managed to send back, honestly. And as for why you can't know... I'm not sure."

Sarah nodded, then looked in the mirror, trying to understand what she'd just agreed to.

A haggard woman, bandaged up and with blood on her neck bandage stared back at her. She also had jam round her lips.

Sarah sighed. It was just going to be one of those days, wasn't it?

**Chapter 19**

Rani and Luke were in the living room, Sarah Jane was in the garden with the Doctor.

Rani muted the TV, and turned to Luke.

"So. What's the deal?" She demanded.

"What? With what?" Luke asked, he had been watching the news.

"With you. You're..." Rani gestured to him.

"What?" He narrowed his eyes.

"All grumpy. Sad. Annoyed."

"I am not annoyed!" He argued.

"And quick to temper." Rani added, smiling slightly.

Luke looked away. He hated it how Rani could do that.

"So? Spill."

"It's nothing really, Rani."

"That's why you're all sad and stuff."

Luke looked at a painting on the wall. "Well, it's mum."

Rani shuffled up to him a bit. "Yes?"

"She doesn't remember me. She looks at me like I'm a stranger. But I'm her son! And this doctor, we've never met him before, and yet she remembers him more than me! Every time I go to talk to her, she gets all scared, and won't listen to me. It's like she doesn't want to talk to me..." Luke wiped away a tear that was threatening to spill.

"Oh Luke..." Rani cooed. "It's nothing personal. It's just her amnesia. And you know how the Doctor's time-line is. It's all messed up. He's been with her for years, this Doctor. Years and years and years. Well maybe not that long, but you get the idea. A while. And ... Luke?"

Luke stood up. "Maybe Mr. Smith could do something."

Rani stood up too. "What?"

"Jolt her memory. So she remember us. And so we can find out what happened to her."

Rani ran after Luke to the attic, this was so not happening!

**Chapter 20**

It was a warm spring evening, and Sarah Jane and the Doctor were on the swinging crate on her patio.

It was too lazy an afternoon to talk, and so Sarah Jane was resting her head against the Doctor's chest, and he was leaning his chin on her head, as well as stroking it occasionally.

The Doctor was telling her about how much he missed his car 'Bessie'. Apparently it had just been blown up by the master.

Sarah Jane smiled, she could remember the day she got zapped into the zone of death. She had fallen down then, she was always doing that back then.

The Doctor, curious as ever sneaked into her mind to see what Sarah was thinking about.

He too, remembered that day the master almost won. Of course the doctor had stopped him, he always did. And still managed to back in time for some jelly babies!

'I should have listened to K-9.' Sarah commented silently.

The Doctor patted her head, and casually asked, 'Who's K-9?'

Sarah sat up, and looked at him. She put a hand on his leg, and reprimanded him, 'My dog! You gave him to me. Remember?'

The doctor smiled and nodded, and pulled her back to leaning on him.

'Honestly.' She said once she'd snuggled up to him and gotten comfy. 'Anyone would think you'd lost your memory.'

The Doctor sighed, contentedly.


	5. Chapters TwentyOne to TwentyFive

**The Darkness – SJAFF**

**Chapters 21-25**

**Chapter 21**

"Luke. You can't do this. You're not thinking straight!" Rani complained.

Luke continued walking up to Mr. Smith.

"Mr. Smith, I need you." Luke ordered, oblivious to Rani's nagging.

"Heyya." Came a voice from the doorway. "Sarah Jane is starting to remember. Ain't that amazing?" Clyde said, as he jogged down the steps to stand next to Luke. "We could have her back within a week according to the Doctor."

Rani smiled, as Clyde rubbed his hands together.

Luke frowned, then ran out of the attic.

"Thanks Clyde." Rani smiled.

Clyde cocked his head, "What?"

Rani motioned, and then stuffed her hands in her Jean pockets, "Distracting Luke." She shrugged.

"I..."

Rani raised her eyebrows, "She's really remembering?"

"Well I was hardly going to make it up, was I?"

Rani made an 'O' with her mouth.

"It's only K-9, but it's a start, ay?" Clyde nudged her.

The robotic voice of Mr. Smith interrupted their conversation. "I am highly insulted that Sarah Jane recalls memories of the dog before myself."

Clyde and Rani walked out laughing.

**Chapter 22**

They walked downstairs to find Luke in the living room, and could see through the window Sarah snugly asleep on the Doctor.

"She still doesn't remember me." Luke said.

Rani rolled her eyes, "Luke, she doesn't remember any of us." She gestured at the three of them.

"Yeah. It's like she only remembered stuff from when she travelled with the Doctor." Clyde added.

Luke looked up at him and nodded, "Yeah."

Clyde sat on the arm of the sofa, "We just have to remind her about us now."

Outside, Sarah Jane was stuck in the dimension between sleep and consciousness.

She jerked, causing the Doctor to wake from his doze.

"Shh." He whispered, stroking her hair, thinking she was dreaming.

She twitched again, this time also screwing up her eyes in pain.

"Sarah?" The Doctor asked, sitting up.

Her eyes darted to and fro from behind their lids.

The Doctor watched her, as her brow became more furrowed, and her breathing became shallower and quicker.

Just as he was about to intervene, it all stopped.

Her eyes were still and her brow relaxed.

Unfortunately, her breathing also stopped. Completely.

"Sarah?" He squeaked, sitting her up and listening for a heart-beat.

Panicking, he found a thread of hope, and jumped after it.

* * *

From their warm seats inside, three teenagers watched in horror as first Sarah Jane became limp, then the Doctor slumped against her.

**Chapter 23**

They ran outside, and relaxed slightly when they found it wasn't quite as bad as they thought; they were both still alive. -Just.

* * *

Sarah Jane looked at her hands. They looked different; younger.

She felt her face, her hair. Both felt softer, more youthful.

She realised she was standing, she wasn't even aware of it. The floor, some odd white carpet, was so smooth, so comforting, so... unusual.

Her clothes were a peculiar garment, some kind of green dress. It went down to her bare feet, and was shoulder-less, even though it had full length sleeves attached at the under arm.

After noticing all this, only then did Sarah Jane wonder where she was. How she got there didn't even flitter across her mind.

There was a woman standing in front of her, Sarah Jane couldn't have said how long she'd been there.

"Do you know where we are?" Sarah asked.

"We are in the Realms of the Dead that are not yet Dying."

Sarah Jane frowned and rolled her eyes in thought, "Do you mean dying and not yet dead?"

"No." The woman replied, "Look around you."

Sarah followed the woman's gesturing hand, and saw things in the mist. A woman in a cobbled street dressed in rags; a drunken lord with gold chains and rings holding a bejewelled chalice; an astronaut as his helmet cracked.

Sarah Jane turned to the woman, "And you?"

The woman spread her arms, and through the mist Sarah Jane saw images, skies and stars, the earth surrounding her as she fell, orange bubbles and black shadows.

Shaking her head, and bringing herself back to reality, Sarah Jane focused on the woman. She put her head to one side and racked her brains, "Don't I know you?"

The woman swiped a hand at her and giggled.

Sarah raised an eyebrow.

Recovering, the woman his her smile with manicured red nails, "'Scuse me. I was talking to a puritan earlier." Composing herself, she stood up straight, "And yes, you do."

Sarah Jane took a step forward, and looked at the woman. She had auburn hair and was clad in purple. "I'm sorry. I can't remember.

Looking into the mist, over the woman's shoulder, she could see the flailing arms of a Sontaren.

The woman turned, and watched the 'warrior' with a ghost of a smile on her lips.

Sarah Jane looked at her, silently questioning.

"That's Kaagh. You remember him, don't you?"

Sarah Jane slowly shook her head.

"Mmm... He was my second in command Miss Smith!" The woman put her hands on her hips, "Whatever did happen to you?"

"I... I don't know... And how do you know my name?"

The woman threw her hands in the air, "You only pestered me for a month trying to gain access to my offices and factories! Letters, faxes, phone calls, emails...!"

Sarah Jane looked blank.

"Oh my." The woman placed a ringed hand to her head, "What has the world done to you?"

She guided Sarah Jane to a park bench behind them, Sarah Jane was adamant that it hadn't been there before.

"Tell me," The woman said, placing a hand on her shoulder, "What do you remember?"

Sarah Jane looked at her concerned face, then looked straight ahead into the mist, where two orange slitheen were squabbling over a plant.

Slowly she shook her head. "The last thing I remember is him leaving me."

The woman twitched her head. "Him?"

Sarah Jane nodded towards the man with the frizzy hair, coat and scarf that was walking towards them.

"Oh mother." The woman cursed.

**Chapter 24**

The Doctor reached them just as large black shadows encased themselves around the woman.

"Hello Horath," She murmured as she was pulled back into her nightmare.

"Hmph!" The Doctor grunted. He lifted right eyebrow, then tilted his head lowered the eyebrow and raised the other one.

Sarah Jane stood up, "How do you do that?" She demanded.

He raised both and smiled evilly.

"Practise." He smiled, showing off a mouthful of white teeth.

"Jelly bean?" He asked, offering her a brown paper bag full of them.

Sarah shook her head.

"Just as well, I'm hungry." He laughed to himself, and sat down where the woman had been.

"I knew her." Sarah suddenly blurted.

"You did? That's nice." The Doctor said absently. He was meant to do something...

"I did. I knew her and-" Sarah Jane clicked her fingers, it was on the tip of her tongue...

A rainbow of Daleks went past.

The Doctor watched with a smile on his face, and tried hard not to laugh. In his efforts his eyebrows hid in his hair, and his eyes danced wildly.

The last Dalek, a green one, swivelled its 'eye' at him, and stopped the 'parade'.

He turned his body towards the Doctor, and without saying a word, blew up the Doctor's bag of jelly babies.

The Doctors jaw dropped several metres.

The Dalek gave an odd noise like a laugh, and disappeared into the mist.

"Well I'll be..." The Doctor whispered, and he stood up.

He swayed slightly, and then made an odd motion, swatting one side of his head, whilst pointing the other side of his head at the ground, like he had water in his ear.

Sarah Jane looked up absently. "Hmmm? What did I miss?"

**Chapter 25**

Rani and Clyde watched as Luke gently shook the doctor.

They weren't too sure.

Was it safe, to wake them like this?

They nervously stood behind Luke as he muttered furiously under his breath, "Come on, come on. Wake up! Up!"

* * *

"I can hear..." The Doctor muttered as he picked up his scarf and rubbed his ear out with it.

"So can I." Sarah Jane said proudly.

The Doctor frowned. "No, I mean I can hear... Wake up. Wake up, I don't want to wake up." He argued.

Sarah Jane frowned. "Wake up?" She asked.

She held out a jelly bean.

"Hey! How'd you get that?" The Doctor smiled, and dived for it.

It disappeared before the Doctor's fingers closed in on it, but not before Sarah Jane had the Doctor's hand.

"Wake up." She repeated.

The Doctor felt his shoulder's being shook, and, reluctantly, remembered what he had come here to do.

He sighed- then sent Sarah back to reality with a quick zap to her mind, then allowed himself to be shook awake.

* * *

The Doctor awoke to find his head on Sarah Jane's lap.

He frowned and sat upright, "Sarah!" He remembered, and looked to her.

She was mumbling slightly as she awoke (sounding rather odd with her graty voice) but was awake. Alive.

He smiled.

"Doctor." Rani said, sounding like she was smiling.

He turned and saw all three teenagers there.

"Hello." He said.

"What happened there?" Asked Clyde, hands in his back-pockets.

The Doctor turned back to Sarah Jane, and ran a hand through her hair. "They stole my jelly-babies." He nodded at the trio, then, smiling at Sarah Jane; picked her up, and carried her inside.


	6. Chapters TwentySix to TwentyEight

**The Darkness – SJAFF**

**Chapters 26-28 More coming Next Week!**

**Chapter 26**

Sarah Jane leant back, a cup of tea on the table in front of her.

They were in the kitchen; seated around the table, with K-9 on the floor beside her, trying to patch back her memories.

It was very frustrating; almost as if everyone here knew something she didn't.

She smirked. Oh- how true it was though!

"Sarah?" Asked the Doctor, seeing her twisted smile.

She shook her hair, shaking her fringe out of her eyesight.

It fell straight back into place, so she moved it with a hand. "This is why I always kept my hair short." She murmured, annoyed.

Clyde frowned, "As long as I've known you you've had long hair. You may have kept a shorter fringe, but always long hair." He smiled as he leaned over from the seat next to her and mussed up her fringe.

Sarah Jane smiled, along with Rani. She may not remember them; but she was becoming more used to the familiarity.

The Doctor got up and put his mug in the sink; thinking.

What would happen when he left? He couldn't stay here for all eternity; watching over Sarah Jane.

He'd love to- but, the Universe had a similar knack for getting in trouble to him.

And Sarah Jane still had so much to remember.

He looked over to the woman; who, upon Rani's request, was doodling absent-mindedly doodling as Rani asked her questions about her past.

"Best friend at school?" Rani was firing off questions like no tomorrow.

Sarah Jane replied without missing a beat. "Andrea Yates."

"Closest relative?"

"Aunt Lavinia."

"First crush?"

Sarah Jane looked up, taking her head off the hand she was leaning on. "Why do you need to know that?"

Rani shrugged nonchalantly; ruining it with a mischievous smile. "So, who?"

Sarah Jane frowned. "I'm not sure. Not that I don't remember- just..." She looked around uneasily to where the Doctor was leaning around on the sink.

He smiled, "Just what, Sarah?"

Sarah Jane shook her head at her current train of thought, "I felt a similar note of affection for two men at the same time." She answered Rani.

"Who where they?"

Sarah Jane frowned, and scribbled harder on her piece of paper. "Him, third regeneration; and Harry Sullivan."

She stood up, uneasily and awkwardly; then picked up the ugly silver plastic crutch she was forced to use when she walked, and hobbled out of the room.

Rani picked up the piece of paper which Sarah Jane had been drawing on, and smiled.

The Doctor, once finished down-sizing his ego; looked over Rani's shoulder.

"That looks just like the TARDIS." He mused.

Rani looked up at him. "How many other police boxes are around here? It is the TARDIS you dozo." She smiled at him and shook her head, going off to find Clyde; who had walked out with Luke some time earlier.

* * *

The Doctor frowned, why had Sarah Jane drawn the TARDIS?

He looked out of the kitchen window, 'I felt a similar note of affection for two men... him, third regeneration.'

He smiled at the memory.

The TARDIS sat in the garden; maybe some more of Sarah Jane's memories could be triggered from a wander around there?

* * *

Sarah Jane flopped down onto her bed.

Uh- walking was exhausting.

"Should I fetch Master Doctor?" K-9 whirled, at the edge of the bed. "I am sensing an increase in heart-rate and increased exhaustion and anxiety levels."

Sarah Jane smiled, "No, K-9. I'm fine." She whispered.

She was just tired. A nap would do her good.

Sarah Jane closed her eyes, her mind wandering.

Faint colour niggled behind her eyelids as the sunlight shone on Sarah's closed eyes, and for some reason; her mind recalled the image of the woman clad in purple. "Wormwood." She remembered, contentedly murmuring. "Bubbleshock."

She felt someone stroking her hair, and smiled as soft lips graced her forehead.

"Sleep, Sarah." The Doctor whispered; "And let the universe be your playground as you dream."

**Chapter 27**

Clyde and Luke were sat in the attic, on the steps.

Luke had his head in his hands, and Clyde was gently rubbing his friends back.

"You know, everyone gets overwhelmed sometimes. Just remember it's not cool to do this in public." Clyde quietly murmured.

Luke looked up, "What?" He asked disbelieving.

"I said-"

"I know what you said." Luke stood up, filled with anger and frustration. "My mum can't even remember me, and you're worried about what is cool and what isn't?" He said, voice low and threatening; before storming out the attic, almost running into Sarah Jane coming up the stairs. She'd been attacking biscuits in the kitchen after her nap.

Sarah watched the young boy storm down the rest of the stairs with suspicion and a vague recollection of something.

"I detect a rise anger levels. Might I enquire why?" Mr. Smith said, as Clyde called him.

"Uhh- why are things so confusing?" Clyde asked, ignoring Mr. Smith.

"Maybe things would be easier if you took a step back. Seeing details are all very fine, but sometimes to take in the whole picture, you need to relax, and take a step back." Mr. Smith advised.

Clyde looked up from nursing his head. "Yeah, whatever." He said, and giving K-9 one last scratch, he too left the attic.

Sarah Jane watched with interest as yet another young man passed her on the stairs. It was all very busy here.

She entered the attic, and saw the super-computer on; swirling geometric shapes as the screen saver swirling.

"Hello Mr. Smith." She greeted civilly, sitting on the sofa.

"Sarah Jane!" Mr. Smith sounded as surprised as a monotone computer can. "I am glad to see you functioning somewhat more normally."

Sarah Jane smiled weakly. "Yes." She agreed.

"Mistress." K-9 wheeled across to her. "Might I request to know what else you have remembered?"

"I'm not sure, K-9." Sarah said thoughtfully."It just seems to come back as … the situation requires it." She ended somewhat confused by her own speech.

Oh, this just wouldn't do!

Frowning, she leant back into the soft sofa, resting a hand over her eyes.

The light was too bright.

She sighed as she slipped into the familiar territory of (somewhat faded) swirling psychedelic colours.

"LUNCH!" Clyde hollered, his voice echoing around the house to all it's visitors and inhabitants.

With an effort and a grunt, Sarah Jane opened her eyes and pulled herself up, stumbling as she made her way towards the door.

"Mistress! Are you hurt? Should I fetch the Doctor?" K-9 wheeled towards her.

"No, no." Sarah Jane picked herself up, sighing as the room span. "I'm, I'm fine. Good Dog." Sarah Jane's voice was still scratchy; but at least she was healing enough to talk. And when needed be, to lie.

"Affirmative." Replied the unsure voice. K-9 could sense the hesitancy in his Mistress's lies.

Sarah Jane replaced the hand on her head; trying to sooth the throbbing headache.

Slowly, she made her way down the stairs; frowning as various steps seemed to warp and blend together beneath her. Then they rose up to meet her.

Rani could do nothing but stare as Sarah Jane tumbled down the last few steps; doing a rolling head over heals and eventually landing on the floor, legs wide and an expression on her face of surprise, shock, and confusion. Stumped, might have been a better way of describing it.

"Ow." Sarah Jane whispered, before fainting back against the stairs.

"Sarah? Was that Sarah I heard?" The Doctor poked his head out of the kitchen, seeing Rani. "Where is she?" He smiled.

Rani pointed.

**Chapter 28**

"Sarah! Oh my, Sarah!" The Doctor exclaimed, throwing his scarf over his back as he knelt down to the now unconscious Sarah Jane.

"Does nobody like my cooking?" Clyde mused, walking out of the kitchen.

Rani smothered a chuckle, then swallowed a laugh, bending down to see how Sarah Jane was.

"What happened?" The Doctor asked, turning to stare Rani in the face.

She leaned back, surprised the Doctor was so close. "She tripped. Took a right banging down the last few stairs."

The Doctor frowned; right, think I got that. Teenage speech; a whole language of its own.

He nodded, then nodded again; agreeing with himself.

He placed a hand on Sarah Jane's forehead, then slipped into her mind, seeing whether or not he could persuade her subconscious to wake up.

He fell back to reality with a jerk, literally.

Picking himself up, and scratching his head, he bit his lip. Hmm.. This was difficult.

He shook his head, knowing there always was an answer; you just had to know the question.

"Right." He decided.

He picked up Sarah Jane, kind of forgetting to clue in the two teenagers.

Rani watched helplessly, whilst Clyde nodded, then whacked Rani with the spatula he was holding.

"Burgers?" He asked, leading Rani outside to the barbecue.

Upstairs, the Doctor laid Sarah Jane down on the bed. "This is becoming a habit, old girl."

K-9 wheeled in, detecting Sarah Jane's lower-than-usual heart-rate. "Mistress was unsteady on her feet earlier, Master Doctor." He informed the man leaning over his mistress.

"Really, K-9? Anything else?" He asked, watching her eyes flickering behind her eyes.

"She seemed uneasy. She was tired, and lied about her health." He duly reported.

"Oh? How can you tell?" The Doctor was genuinely interested.

"An increase in heart-rate and anxiety levels, Master Doctor."

"Clever. Now, I'm going to link telepathically with Sarah Jane now; I shouldn't be more than a few minutes, OK?"

"If you are longer I shall ask Mr. Smith to pull you out of the contact." K-9 offered.

"Good dog." The Doctor smiled.

K-9 wagged his tail, then fell silent and detected the lowering of the Doctor's dual heart-beat.

* * *

For the Doctor, it was quite an unnerving experience. It was like stepping into a 1960's cartoon. Everything was psychedelic and warping and colours. Pink, green, yellow, light pastel blue...

He could walk forward, and did so. It wasn't that the colours were a thick gloopy substance, like he'd been expecting; but instead they just seemed to be colours. Just a background somewhere far off.

Nope, not so. With a wave of his arm he could dislodge and warp the colours. Some sort of reaction in the air maybe?

An outline in the colours told him a person was somewhere nearby.

He walked towards it, tripping over something in the way.

"Ow!" He complained, leaning down to see what it was. The colours in the way hid the object from view.

"Sarah?" He saw the object was a body; and not just any body either. The inert body of Sarah Jane.

"Yes?" A voice behind him sounded, Sarah's voice... But how?

He turned around, and there was the woman, but.. how?

"Sarah Jane?" He confirmed, frowning. This is one hell of a paradox!

"Yes." She smiled, soothingly. She came towards him and put a hand on his shoulder. She was cold, and somehow not quite real. Almost.. silky. Velvety.

"Don't be afraid," She said as she crouched down to his level, gazing with him at her body on the floor. "This is all perfectly normal."

The the lights went off and everything was pitch black.

The Doctor couldn't see a single thing, only feel Sarah's somehow comforting hand on his shoulder. "Sarah?" He whispered.

"I'm here. This is the Darkness. This is the worst bit." She squeezed his shoulder.

He looked up to where he judged her head to be, and reached out a hand.

"Yes?" Came the amused reply.

"Just checking."

"What? That I still have a face?"

"Your voice.. it's …. better." He realised, retracting his hand.

"Yes. It always is." She sounded off hand, distracted.

"What?" He whispered.

"I keep thinking I'm seeing something, out there." Unknown to the Doctor, Sarah had motioned with her head out to where she presumed the horizon to be.

"Yes, I didn't want to say anything but I think I am too."

"It's just our eyes adjusting to the lack of move-...ment." They both said at the same time.

Colours, bright and blinding came back then, causing both of them to squint, to close their eyes in pain; yet still a waterfall of colour invaded even their closed eyes.

"Oh... my poor Sarah." The Doctor opened his eyes, tracing his hand along the side of her face.

She smiled, leaning into the touch; then looked around, as if realising something. "Time to go." She whispered, sounding almost scared. She then sat down, directly on top of her body; then lay down in it.

On her bed, the real Sarah Jane sat up; almost head-butting two scared teenagers as she shot up.

Next to her the Doctor did the same thing.

"Thanks K-9!" Clyde hollered into the hallway.


End file.
